Prepositions of time

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Prepositions of time

Daisy is at home. She has a note for Sophie from the headmaster …

Instructions

As you watch the video, look at the examples of prepositions of time. They are in red in the subtitles. Then read the conversation below to learn more. Finally, do the grammar exercises to check you understand, and can use, prepositions of time correctly.

We use many different prepositions for talking about time. Here we are looking at: in, on, at, during and for.

We use in, on and at for lots of different times. Here’s a table comparing the uses:

in

on

at

Months: in January / in AprilSeasons: in spring / in winterYears: in 1984 / in 2015Centuries: in the 20th centuryTimes of day: in the morning / in the eveningLonger periods of time: in the past / in the 1990s / in the holidays

Days of the week: on MondayDays + parts of days: on Tuesday afternoon / on Saturday morningsDates: on November 22ndSpecial days: on my birthday / on New Year’s Eve

Clock times: at 7.30 a.m. / at 5 o’clockFestivals: at Christmas / at EasterExceptions: at night / at the weekend

Wow! That’s a lot of uses! So I have to learn all those?

Yes, but you probably know most of them, don’t you?

Yes, maybe … Is that all of them? I mean, are there any exceptions?

Well, sometimes we don’t use a preposition of time, for example after next/this/last/every.

We go skateboarding every Saturday afternoon.
I’ll see you next Friday.

Mm, but I could also say: “I’ll see you on Friday.”

Oh yes, that's fine too. But we often leave out on with days of the week when we’re speaking.

I’ll see you Friday.

OK. Now, about dates ... You write “on 8th July” but how do you say that?

Good question! We say “on the eighth of July”.

OK, so I have to remember to say “on THE eighth OF July”.

Exactly.

One last question about in. Can I use it for the future, as in “I’ll do it in a minute”?

Yes, that’s very common. We use in for talking about something in the future a certain length of time from now.

She’ll be back in a moment.
We’re going away in two weeks.

And can I say, “We’re going away for two weeks”?

Yes, but the meaning is completely different.

We’re going away in two weeks. (= we leave two weeks from now)
We’re going away for two weeks. (= our holiday will be two weeks long)

Ah, and what about “We’re going away during two weeks”?

No, you can’t say that. We use for + a length of time, to say how long something goes on for, and during + a noun / noun phrase, to say when something happens.

It snowed for three hours.
It snowed during the night.

OK, that’s a useful rule. But, hang on, I can also say “It snowed in the night”.

Yes, absolutely.

And: “I did a lot of work in the holidays” or “I did a lot of work during the holidays”?

Yes, you’ve got the hang of this.

Good, so now I’m going to study for a few hours. I’ll see you on Tuesday, in the morning, at about 10 o’clock.

Sophie: True. But you could. It's a very useful language. They speak it in Brazil ...

Daisy: Mum, he's the new headmaster at college. And he isn't Portuguese – or Brazilian. He's British. But I think he said his parents are from Goa.

Sophie: Goa? Wow. The headmaster ... Ah yes, I remember him. I met him at Christmas when I went to your school for that concert. In December, anyway. A very nice man, yes.

Daisy: Mum ...

Sophie: It would be good to speak to him about his parents' country. I could interview him, then visit Goa in summer … no, too hot maybe ... in autumn ...

Daisy: Well, he'd like to see you again too.

Sophie: Really?

Daisy: He wants you to go into school on Monday or Tuesday next week.

Sophie: Oh? Have you done something wrong?

Daisy: No, of course not! You know me. He wants to ask if you can give a talk about your work and your blog, your travels, that sort of thing. One day in April, during Careers Week.

Sophie: So on Monday or Tuesday? What time?

Daisy: In the afternoon or in the early evening. At 5 o'clock, if you can.

Sophie: Hmm. I can go at half past four on Tuesday, if that's OK.

Daisy: I'll ask.

Sophie: Let me see. I'm away in Moscow for three days in April ... but during your school holidays, I think. I'm going to Russia to write about traditions at Easter – oh, and then I'm away again at the end of the month. But I'm at home for two or three weeks. I can't go on Monday evening, because I have a tai chi class, and then I have to work at night. I have a video call at midnight ... Yes, definitely. I'll go in on Tuesday afternoon.

Daisy: Can you write a note or send him an email, please?

Sophie: I'll phone him during the day tomorrow. I'm free for a few hours in the morning.

Daisy: OK, I'll tell him. Where are you?

Sophie: Here in town. I'm at the travel agent's. I'm chatting to your friend Jenna – I hadn't seen her for months! I didn't know she was working here; she's organising my flights to Russia. Do you want to speak to her?

Daisy: No, it's OK, I'll see her at the weekend. We're going to a party on Saturday night.

Sophie: OK, well I'll be home in about an hour – at about 7 o'clock probably. Pizza and a DVD tonight?

Discussion

Comments

My favourite day of the week is a Friday .I usually get up early morning to preparing for class .My school is so far from my house.I get up 6 am on weekday.I spend 90 minutes on public bus I do reading or gaming on smartphone.It is boring for me . My favourite time is 4 pm .That is end of time for high school .I come back home as soon as possible to do video game .

My favorite day of the week is friday because it's the last day at school and in my mind the next day will be a break. I get up earlier at 07 o'clook. I take my breackfast for 10 minutes, and after that i take my bath. I change my cloths and i go out to school

My favority day of the week is Friday. I like it because it's finish work-week. On friday i get up at 7.30 a.m. I go to school. Students don't want learn. I go to home at 7 p.m. In the evening i walk. At 11 o'clock i go to the bed and sleep.

My favourite day of the week is Monday. I love it because it's the beginning of the week. I get up at five in the morning to workout and tidy up my room. It's better than cleaning at night, and I get some peace by myself to meditate on what's going on that day. It's definitely the best part of the day.

Hi greenlion. Your first sentence is correct. Use "in" for "the morning" in general but use "on" for a specific morning (e.g. on Tuesday morning; on the morning of 3rd May; on a cold, rainy morning). "A spring morning" means one specific morning during the spring. :)

Hi Jonathan
Please tell me which is correct? She was late for school. She was late to school.
Are both sentences correct or one- then which one. How can one know 'to' be used or 'for'
Thank you.
Regards

Hi Sirlal,
Both of those sentences are correct. Thanks for all your comments on the site. We have a very small team working on LearnEnglish Teens and sometimes we don't have time to answer everyone's grammar questions, so don't worry if we don't always answer all your specific questions - other users from our site may help you. :)
Best wishes, Jo (LearnEnglish Teens)

Hi Tina
Thank you for you answer to my last question about to and for.
Please help me in this too.
Which one is correct?
1.She was late for school.
2.She was late to school.
3.Is this the flight for London
4.Is this the flight to London?
Is there any reason to use to or for?
Thank you.
Regards

Hi Srilal. 'For' often shows some kind of purpose or goal for the activity. 'To' can also have that meaning with a verb (e.g. She went to the library to study) but in your examples 2 and 4, 'to' comes with a noun. In these cases, 'to' simply shows movement in that direction.
So, all the sentences are possible, but I think number 4 is more commonly used than number 3. :)
Jonathan (LearnEnglish Teens Team)

Dear Sir or Madam
I kindly request you to make this clear. That is your statement: it snowed for three hours. ( How long somthing goes on) Is it alright to use present perfect instead of simple past. For eg It has snowed for three hours. Are both of these alright to use? Is it depend on the context (situation)? For eg. It snowed for three hours yesterday.
Thank you.
Regards

Hi Jonathan
Thank you very much for your answer about Past simple and present perfect.
Please help me in this, too.
The road is wet. It has rained. / It has been raining. Both these sentences mean at the moment it is not raining. I am I correct? If this is correct one can use both these tences for something which has recently stopped.
But If one says: It has rained for two hours./ It has been raining for two hours. Both mean at the moment also it is raining.
I am I correct? Please help.
Thank you.
Regards

Hi Srilal. You are right, both of your sentences and both tenses mean that at the moment, it is not raining. However, 'It has been raining', can mean that it is raining right now, especially with a 'for ... hours/days' time phrase (e.g. 'It has been raining for two hours, and it hasn't stopped yet').

So, don't just look at the 'it has been raining' part, since the rain may or may not be finished. The context will help you understand whether the action has stopped or is continuing.

Dear Sir
I want to make sure the following sentences are right or wrong. Please help me.
Either you sister or brothers have come.
Neither your sister nor your brothers have come.
Nether your sister nor your brothers has come.
I think the last one is not correct
Please let me know.
Thank you.
Regards

Dear Sir
Please let me know I am right or wrong.
Clases are held on Sundays.
Classes are held every Sunday
Classes are held on Sunday.
Are all the above correct or some which ones are thay?
Thank you.
Regards

My unfavoite day of the week? It's Saturday! I go to school early in the morning on Saturdays.Before I moved to a new school, I had no class on Saturday, so it's still hard for me to get up early every Saturday morning. I always get exhasuted at the end of the week. I can do nothing on Saturday afternoon!
･ﾟ･(｡✖д✖｡)･ﾟ･

Oh so bad. I have school on Saturday, but it's usually half-day. No probs, you'll get used to it. Even I used to find it so difficult to get up early on Saturday when I entered high school, but I guess I got used to it. But getting up early does have its own benefits. By waking up early six days a week, your improved biological clock works better. And if one organ of your body works well, so do the others! There are numerous benefits, like... Like... Geez, I can't remember! Okay please do google it up, as my brain switched to sleep mode. It's night here. Good night!!! ✌

Of course, it's Saturday. I get up early still, but I usually stay at my granny's house. Which means, I don't have to do my homework!!! I can watch TV the whole day long, and chat with my grandparents. It's always fun, esp with my granny! She watches TV with me, and always confuses Ash with Brock, and Misty with May!! And finally on Saturday, no shopping. Only on Sunday. Huh! I don't understand what pleasure ladies find in shopping. Anyways, on Saturday, my mum leaves me alone at home for an hour, so I just do whatever I want. Wow, I simply love Saturday!!! :))))

my favourite day is saturday, I don't weak up early and y don't have to worry about the theachers or homeworks or all of that so I enjoy my saturday with my family.
Also on saturday ymeet with my girlfriend so that become in a good day for me beacuse ew had a really good time together ahd we eat and watch movies all the day long

My favorite day is saturday because I got up at 6 o´clock for run in the park with my dog, then I go to the market with my mom there we bought fruits and vegetables. At ten-Thirty I take a shower and then and help my mom with lunch. In the afternoon i go to my grandparent's and with my sisters we watched the movie and cooked a cake.
At the four o´clok my family and I are going to the mall for eat the salad fruit or drink a juice. My favourite part of this day is in the evening because I am going to play basketball with my friends.

My favourite day is Thursday . I get up at 7 o'clock. I go to the club with my family and see my friends . Also,this day is my holiday as I do not study . The best part of the day is at night , the last part of the day as I go back home and listen to music and dance alone in my room :)

My favorite day of the week is on Sunday. Cos, i spend of time with my family. We go to village and have a good time. Sunday is free day us. That day, i get up late like at 11 or 12. Afternoon is the best part of the day for me.

My favorite day of a week is Monday because this means I have a new week to study. I get up at 5.30 am in summer and 5.45 am in winter to preparing for classes which first start at 6.45 am. For me, the best part of day is 4.30 pm when I finish studying at school and come back home as soon as possible to do my homework and start some classes in the evening.

Sometimes, I think that there is a small relationship between the word " Saturnday" and " Saturn" .They look quite similar, right ? Could anyone explain this to me ? haha